Collapsible tube testing apparatus



Feb. 8, 1938. c. J. WESTIN COLLAPSIBLE TUBE TESTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 19, 1934 P. x m m w m a 2.94.3 4 MM M m 4 Y h N mm MN wN Patented Feb. 8, 1938 i i UNITED STATES PATENT orrica I 2,101,: comrsmu: me name. maaa'rus ChIarl? Westln. l'hiladczlphia, Pa., assigning:

- token Machine mpany, Philadelp Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January is, 1934, Serial No. 101,255.

1 claim; (CI. 73-51) This invention relates to apparatus for testing adapter for connectingthe tubes. An apparatus containers, and more particularly to new and of this kind must be reliable so that accurate novel apparatus for determining the leak-resistresults may be recorded; it must be simple and ance and bursting-strength of collapsible or flexconvenient in its adaptation to the large variety 5 ible tubes. v of tubes now in use. 5

The purpose of my invention is to furnish suit- My invention embodies the following novel able means for conducting tests according to 9. features and combinations: definite plan and with the aid of some standard Adapter for making a tight connection in the gas or'other fluid. line between the source of supply of the testing Heretofore, as far as I amaware, no standard medium and the interior of the tube. 10

apparatus has been available for the making of A suitable valve for gradually admitting the tests to determine the comparative strengths of test medium and slowly increasing the pressure .collapsible tubes and the closures of collapsible up to the maximum required. .or flexible tubes. The few attempts made at test- Means for introducing a suitable gauge in the 16 ing tubes usually have been limited to the holdline between the valve and the tubes to be tested.

ing of the tube in the hand and exerting pres- Means for detecting and observing the pressure on the walls by squeezing itwith one or both sure at which leaks occur and/or the ressure hands, or by placing the tube on the floor and at which the tube bursts; and other features disstepping on it. It is evident that no uniform closed in the specification and claim. 20 results could be obtained by such unscientific In the drawing: 20

methods and it was, of course, impossible to make Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a represenany comparison of the strengths without any tatlve testing apparatus; standard of measurement. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in section of the Stronger tubes and new types of closures are adapter with a tube partly in section and atabout to be placed on the market, and in order tached to the adapter; 25

to determine the strength of these new types, Fig. 3 shows a modified adapter ring; and

as comparedwith the present type in common Fig. 4 shows another adaptation of the conuse, it is very desirable to have some standard nection to the tube.

way of conducting the tests. Some new types Referring to the drawing, A" represents a 3 of closures and seals are disclosed in my co-'- collapsible or flexible tube of the usual comg pending applications, namely, Serial No. 561,111, mercial construction, having the open end closed yilled September 4th, 1931, now Patent No. 2,028,- and sealed in any suitable manner, as at 32. 112, :and Serial No. 667,823, filed April 25th, 1933. Tubes or dispensing containers of this kind usu- The methods referred .to above, used at present ally have a neck at one end with provision for 5 in tsti' s' es. o cou se, is actory. closing the opening through the neck by means and with the new types of closures; which m0- of a cap or plug. The most common method vide a seal sometimes equal to or stronger even of closing this end is by means of a screw cap than the tube walls themselves, I have found it a, The caps 23 are made from many diflerent desirable to adopt a standard of measurement, materials a d in a, large-variety of sizes a d 40 to furnish suitable apparatus for applying P shapes. Each cap usually has a head or flange 40 sure internally to the closed tubes, and to proor larger diameter than its body. This flange, means whereby the pressures at any stage when present, furnishes satisfactory means for of the test may be read on a gauge and recorded clamping w tubes in the adapter n how 'for comparison.

ever, no cap is used, means may be ovided I have .found compressed air to be an ideal as indicated in Fig. 3 or in Fig. 4. t 45 medium for testing tubes, and have therefore i th of the variation in sizes and shapes, one purpose adopted this gas as the testing med um ough of my invention is to furnish an adapter iii of an other suitable fluid, as or ii uid ma be 3 compressed is chgeap congruent J such construction that it can easily and cheaply and available in most establishments making or be nwdmed to fit size or shape of 50 packaging tubes Gauges such as those made TO end, I furnish an adapter ring of such by Lonergan Company and known as Inspectors; outside diameter that an annular ring Of Bum- Test Gauges, are available in many sizes and cient body remains after the hole is made to fit for any required pressure, but are useless for my h largest cap I desire to hold in the adapter. no purpose without the proper mounting and proper The adapter ring fits into the clamp-nut or chuck I take care of any thickness oi cap-flange or even straight caps without any flange. The adapter body may be made with an extension at one end suitable for connection to the air line H, or the hole 33, which forms the path for the testing medium, may be threaded externally or internally for pipe connection 28: At the other end of the body 21 a seat is provided for a resilient gasket or washerIiB. This gasket may be or any suitable material, such as rubber, sufllciently soft so that it will yield to any irregularity oi the cap when the gasket is clamped down against it and form a'tight seat under pressure. The adapter ring 30 may be made in a series of sizes with openings suitably ya yins in size from the minimum to the maximum size of caps to be held as referred to above.

in it. The adapter ring 30 may also be made in many, different shapes, 'to' suit any desirable method of attaching the tube.

It the testing outfit is to be used in an estab lishment regularly using only a few standards of tube-cap threads, it is preierableto make adapter rings with the proper thread incorporated in them. This construction is not shown in the drawing. As shown in Fig. 3, suitable caps III of more durable material may be made and provided with a suitable gasket for the end of the tube neck to seat against. These caps are used in place oi. those ordinarily furnished with the tube.

some tubes do not have screw-threads for attaching the cap, and in such cases a special cap 223 with a screw extension 224 thereon, as shown in Fig. 4, may be used. The screw extension 224 is adapted to be screwed .into the soft metal forming the neck of the tube. and to form a tight Joint therewith.

Any type of pressure gauge I! may be used, but I prefer the dial type known as the Inspector's Test Gauge" having graduations up to lbs. pressure per square inch. Such gauges are dependable, sensitive, easy to read, and suili-.

ciently accurate. The gauge may be mounted on a stand l'l, as shown in-Fig. 1, or in any-other suitable manner. The testing medium may be connected iromthe source oi supply through a hose or pipe line I}. A valve it, which may bear: ordinary stop-cock or needle-valve, must beplaced in the line it. This valve II should be sensitive and easy to manipulate, so that it can be opened slowly to increase the pressure gradually. I have found it advantage to place anauxiliarygauge I! in line It, in order to predetermine the available pressure before opening the line to gauge II. If the source of testing medium is of a pulsating nature, it is desirable to have a check valve ii in lzlne'li. One convenient way of connecting line it with thegauge I 3 and test-line II is by means of a T or cross l2. The test-line ll maybe connected to the adapter iii in any suitable manner, or For convenience as well as for protection, the whole outfit may be housed in aportable case (not shown), but it can, 01' course, be permanently mounted in any suitable location.

"when a test-medium, like air, is used for 20 containing a clear, transparent liquid 2! such as water. Any leaks in the tube or its closure will instantly be detected by air bubbles rising from the leak in the tube.

It is evident that an unobstructed passage must be provided to the interior of the tube from the test gauge l3, and, if the customary tube cap 28 is used to hold the tube A to the adapter it. I therefore prepare the cap 33 by drilling a hole 3! through the top, and gasket (ii any). I prefor to make this hole oi about diameter as a standard for all sizes. Any standard size hole may, oi course, be adapted to isuit conditions. Provision oi! such a'standard opening tends to cause the pressure applied to each oi the tubes to be uniform and to be smooth and gradual in its increase.

A suitable cap 23 for the tubes to be tested, having the standard hole Si, is placed in the adapter ring 30 and the clamp-nut 28 slipped over it and screwed down tight on body 26, so that the cap 23 is clamped tightly. against gasket 29. It is, of course, desirable to have this connection tight and it will, therefore. sometimes be advisable to use a small gasket within the cap 23 in 'order to provide a tight seat for the end of the tube against the bottom of the cap. With 'the tube "is" securely attached to adapter is,

the tube is submerged in the testing-fluid and valve ll slowly opened, so that, as the pressure rises, each graduationon the dial passed by the needle can be read oil and the exact point at which leaks occur noted by the rising of air bubbles through thetransparent liquid. Leaks may occur at any point in the tube walls or along the closure 32. It is usually possible to definitely determine the exact location of the leak so that a note may be made oi the same, and, through an analysis of the records made for tests on a series of tubes, it is possible-to determine Just where the weak point in the construction of the tube is located. As soon as a leak is detected, it is advisable to remove the tube A from the testing-- fluid, so as to avoid blowing the fluid out basin when the tube bursts.

particularly those in common use at the present time, I find the use oi a gas asa test-medium ior building-up the internal pressure and submerging the container to be tested in a trans- 1 time before it could be detected on the outside oi the For the low pressures required in testing tubes,

ot the wall of the tube. After the construction suitably connected,'so that the pressure could be increased gradually as required.

I do not intend to-be limited save as the scope oi the prior art and oi the attached claim may require.

I claim:

Ileana for testing collapsible tubes, comps-ling in combination, a source oi pulsating compressed air, a flexible tube leadingto said source, an adapter having a passage therethrough for connecting a collapsible tube to be tested to said" flexible tube, said adapter having a portion forming a cross-section oi said passage of relatively smallareacomparedtotheareaoi'tbecrosssection of said passage and oi the inlet to said 10 collapsible tube, a valve controlling the flow of air from said source through said flexible tube, -a gauge connected to said source on the inlet sideoisaidvalvetolndicatethepressureinsaid source, a second gauge connected to said flexible tube adjacent said adapter to indicate the pressure or air therein, and a check valve connected between said source and saidvalve so as to prevent the return of air from said flexible tube to -said source.

CHARLES J. WIBTIN. 

